The Atlanta Blues Society is hosting a fund raiser for all our acts going to Memphis for the International Blues Challenge to represent us. These acts will perform for us and then jam at the end. Representing us this year are:

Darwin's Burgers & Blues in Sandy Springs is under new management, but still open and ready to continue to be one of the best live music clubs in Atlanta. The former owners Aiken and Lindsey have moved to California to pursue a new venture. It seems Aiken has been working on a new way to grow mushrooms and has had an opportunity to work with some people in California who are pursuing plans to build "mushroom houses". The FDA has given initial approval and they are trying to get a head start. Hence the early and sudden departure on Lindsay and Aiken's part. They are still in touch and wish the new management success. Yvette, the waitress, John, the bartender, and Tom Samples, the door guy have been pretty much in charge for a while and are doing their best to keep Darwin's going. They can use all the help we can give them. One thing they really need is a new smoker for the BBQ. Please support them by coming to the venue, eating and drinking and paying the cover for live music. We will keep you informed of any schedule changes that occur.
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What a great Holiday Party we had this year! The Helene S. Mills Multipurpose Facility is just perfect for this event. Plenty of nice table seating and lots of dance floor. The winners of our Atlanta Blues Challenge played for us, first up was our Band winner, Rae & the Royal Peacocks who played a stellar set of original music for us. Fat Matt opened up the delicious buffet for us and Spike was already serving us beer, wine & mixed drinks. Next, Santa Clause arrived and helped us award the first batch of door prizes. Then, our Solo/Duo winner Kathie Holmes played her unique blues flute, keys, and vocals set. Meanwhile, our Marine from Toys for Tots arrived and was floored to see all the new toys we had accumulated and eventually had to call in the reserves and a big truck to come and help take them away. We gave away the rest of fabulous door prizes again with Santa's help and then our youth act winner, No Solution, regaled us with their wonderful set. We awarded each act their prize money and collected tips through out the night, which we promised to match and split between the acts to help with their expenses to Memphis where they will represent us at the International Blues Challenge ( IBC). The night ended with a Christmas Jam w/ Santa, aka George Price, playing guitar and singing "I'm a Pole Man" which had everyone up and dancing. Then Diane Durrett, who had dropped by, came up and belted out a song. We calculated the tip money collected and we took in just over $1,000 (wow thanks everybody), which we matched and presented to each act. Make this event your beginning of the Holiday ritual, just like the Capote family does, and make sure to attend next year.

Blind Willies Blues Club in Virginia Highlands is an Atlanta icon showcasing legendary blues bands for over 32 years. Hundreds of local and national blues greats have left their mark on this historic stage. Years of loyal fans and regular patrons have also contributed to making Blind Willies a true Historic Landmark in Atlanta. All the years of good times have taken its physical toll on Blind Willies. We are asking our friends and family to help us with the REBIRTH of Blind Willies Blues Club! Over the next few months, we will be hosting events to help us with our updates and revival. Your contributions will help ensure we can continue this long-standing Atlanta Blues tradition. The Blues Community is a true family. We are counting on our Blues family to help us continue to keep the Blues alive and bring you the best local and national blues bands you love for years to come! To help us, please Click Here to go to our Go Fund Me page.
All donations will go directly to revitalize this iconic Atlanta venue. Thank you!

As part of the Rebirth of Blind Willie's, the venue has gone Smoke Free as of the day after Thanksgiving, so those of you who stayed away because of the smoke, come on out and check out this legendary Blues Club. The blues sound just as good without the smoke – and the smokers can still go outside– so its a win/win. Come on out to Blind Willie's soon and show them you appreciate the changes they are making to keep the blues alive and available to all. Other changes they are making are earlier shows during the week and on Sundays. They will be closed on Mondays. • http://www.blindwilliesblues.com/

News from Killer Blues Headstone Project
From : Killer Blues Headstone Project: killerblues.net
104 headstones have been purchased! We have funding for the next 2 headstones but have 30 more in need. • That means we still need to raise $20,000 • In 2018 so far we have received donations ranging from $1 to $1,000 and each one was appreciated. The following link will take you to an excellent interview with KBHP founder, Steve Salter, on Youtube: Click HERE.

There are 4 easy ways to donate.
1. click on our website
2. send a check
3. use "AmazonSmile"
4. PayPal "killerblues88@yahoo.com" (use the Sending to a Friend option)

The Atlanta Blues Society's November Gathering & Jam at Darwin's was the best ever and the place was packed. Lola's Band was fantastic and Lola wowed the crowd with her soulful voice, funkified keyboard style and high energy stage presence. The jam was off the hook, lots of great players and vocalists took the stage to play in front of the crowd. Darwin's staff kept us well fed and served up the best drinks. A great day for a great gathering! Sponsored by SmokeFree Rights for all.

Jody Williams, 1935-2018. Joseph Leon Williams was born in Mobile, Alabama, on February 3, 1935, and moved to Chicago as a youngster. He joined schoolmate Bo Diddley to play the streets as a teenager and within a few years had honed his chops enough to become a valued session musician at Chess Records and other labels. His crisp fretwork enlivened such classic records as ‘Who Do You Love’ by Bo Diddley, ‘I Wish You Would’ by Billy Boy Arnold, and ‘Evil’ and ‘Forty Four’ by Howlin’ Wolf. He also accompanied Willie Dixon, Jimmy Witherspoon, Otis Rush, and Jimmy Rogers among others. Williams also worked regularly in the Chicago clubs and toured with big package shows backing blues, rock ‘n roll, and doo-wop acts. The handful of early sessions on his own produced the influential instrumental ‘Lucky Lou,’ the model for Otis Rush’s ‘All Your Love’ and later the Fleetwood Mac and Santana classic ‘Black Magic Woman.’ Another instrumental, ‘Moanin’ for Molasses,’ was later covered by Sean Costello, and ‘Billy’s Blues,’ recorded with Billy Stewart, was lifted for the Mickey & Sylvia smash ‘Love is Strange’ in a case that went to court for copyright infringement. Williams ended up with neither a composer credit nor royalties for ‘Love is Strange,’ and remained wary of playing his original uncopyrighted music for anyone to this day. After a few more years of working the clubs, he married and learned electronics to find a suitable job to support his family. He worked for years as a technician for Xerox and as an ATM machine serviceman until longtime fan and producer Dick Shurman convinced him to bring out his guitar again. Williams began recording anew in 2002 and toured widely to warm receptions around the world.

Treequote.com is a local family owned and operated tree care service based in Marietta, GA offering a full range of tree care solutions around the greater Atlanta area. From lot clearing to residential pruning, Treequote’s experienced team of experts are more than capable of handling all of your tree care needs. While maintaining quality in our work and offering highly competitive prices, Treequote.com is the obvious choice when looking for the right team to handle your tree project. For a Free Quote, go to website (click banner above) or Call: 678-498-5363. https://www.facebook.com/treequotellc/

BigRentz specializes in the rental of boom lifts, scissor lifts, forklifts, telehandlers, dirt and excavation equipment, and jobsite services to meet the needs of businesses and contractors alike.
BigRentz is innovating the way construction equipment is rented. A full-service online equipment rental network, BigRentz is the leader, and your "One Call Does It All" source for heavy equipment rental, connecting over 8,000 rental yards throughout the US.https://www.facebook.com/BigRentz/

In 2015, Legion Landscaping was created by two long-term friends with the dream of creating a successful landscaping company that would provide the community with the highest level of work, at both the residential and commercial level. Our mission is to offer our local Acworth community and the Atlanta Metro Area an unparalleled lawn care and landscaping experience. We have proven ourselves by going above and beyond to fulfill the needs of our clients and add value to their properties. For a Free Quote, go to website or Call: 678-841-7750.https://www.facebook.com/LegionLandscape/

Here's the new SmokeFree Atlanta Food Truck. Look for it every Wednesday in Woodruff Park from 11am-2pm at Wednesdays in Woodruff Presented by SmokeFree Atlanta. Join us each week in August and September for Wednesdays at Woodruff, a lunchtime concert series presented by Smokefree Atlanta and Entertainers Speaking Out, a coalition that works to cultivate healthy, smoke-free environments. Each Wednesday we'll have a live band performing in the Reading Room, plus beach chairs and umbrellas set up by the Water Wall. Whether you're interested in a lunch hour with entertainment or a peaceful spot in the center of the city, wind down your summer in Woodruff! We are looking for paid ambassadors to spread the word about the benefits of smoke free environments. If you have the passion for this effort, are a good communicator, and have some extra time to attend various events or functions as an Ambassador, please contact Lewis McTush for more information, 404-271-0871, lewmarrocks@gmail.com

Bringing the blues to Augusta, Georgia, the Augusta Blues Company is a brand new Blues Society in the state of Georgia. Check out their website and like their Facebook page and when in Augusta, always check their calendar for the best blues in the area. As well as presenting great blues acts, they also support the Turn the Page Foundation, Inc., which helps provide the gifts of literacy and music by supplying books, school supplies, and gently used musical instruments to kids. Don’t miss these great upcoming shows hosted by the Augusta Blues Company: Saturday, April 14, 2018, Sweet & Salty Blues Band play Humanitree, Augusta, GA, 8-11pm.
Friday, May 4, 2018, FREE kick off party for the Blind Willie McTell Festival featuring the Juke Joint Dukes w/ William “Bluesman” Reed at the Depot on Main Street, Augusta, 7-10pm. https://augustabluescompany.com/https://www.facebook.com/AugustaBluesCompany/https://turnthepagefoundation.com/

Attention, Canton Music Shoppe is now hiring instructors. They also wish to announce that Little G Weevil will be teaching guitar so please come by and meet him and see what's new at the Shoppe! 149 Reinhardt College Parkway, Suite 11, Canton, GA 30114https://gweevil.com/music • http://www.cantonmusicshoppe.com/

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